Judicial candidates will tell you they are unable to divulge their positions on public issues. That is only a smoke screen so they don't have to tell you where they stand and can try to play all sides of the field. The rules of judicial conduct do allow for a judicial candidate to express their views on an issue -- and it is impossible to have no perspective -- what is does not allow is for a candidate to express how they would rule on a specific case that would come before their court. Here are several questions you may ask a judcial candidate without getting him in trouble.
These are from previous Judicial Forum election questionnaires:
- Why are you running for office?
- What would you like to see accomplished while you are in office?
- Which groups or prominent figures have endorsed you?
- What is the most significant case that you have worked on as an advocate or judge? (Please don't say every case is equally important).
- Which Washington State court decision do you think has most impacted society? How and Why?
- Which federal court decision do you think has most impacted society? How and Why?
- If you could write a biography on any Justice of the United States Supreme Court (past or present) who would it be? Why?
- Of the current United States Supreme Court justices, which member do you admire most? How would you introduce that person to a colleague?
- How much freedom do you think a judicial candidate should have to express his views?
- Do you think judges should be elected by the people, or appointed by a commission?
- How do you view the separation of powers?
- In your view, what is the threshold for determining constitutionality of a legislative act? or a challenge to it?
- Can a valid treaty override existing State law? What is a valid treaty?
- What is the relationship of the Declaration of Independence to our federal Constitution?
- What does it mean that we are a nation of law, not of men?
- What is the rule of law? And what is the foundation?
- What else do you want to tell us about yourself?